Reduced Sugar Raspberry-Peach Freezer Jam

Well, I think that I have picked the last of my raspberries for the summer season. Bummer! However, we've probably had the most (32 pints worth of jam) and the biggest raspberries that we've ever had this year. Mental note: water lots in June next year. We had something like 15 of the first 18 days of June with some measureable amount of rain.
We love Raspberry Freezer jam. For my first batch of raspberries this year I made reduced sugar freezer jam for the first time. It came highly recommended from a friend's sister. One year I tried NO sugar jam and it didn't go over well...with anyone. For reduced sugar jam you have to make sure you buy the correct box of pectin: labeled for reduced or no sugar recipes. You cannot substitute or change ingredient amounts or your jams will not set correctly. I don't think I'll go back to regular jams--I'll stick with reduced sugar recipes.

Sure-Jell® for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes is in the PINK box. (about $2.50/box) Recipes and instructions come inside each box.

Original Sure-Jell® is in the YELLOW box. (slightly cheaper price than the pink box)

The recipe from the box for the low sugar Red Raspberry Freezer Jam uses 4 c. crushed raspberries and 3 1/2 c. sugar, whereas the original recipe uses 5 c. crushed raspberries and 7 c. sugar. Click HERE for original Sure-Jell® freezer jam. That is a big difference--but really, even cutting the sugar in half you don't notice any difference in taste.

After making a batch of that jam I noticed on the instructions insert a recipe for low sugar Raspberry-Peach Freezer Jam. O.K. I had to try that too. I bought a couple peaches at the store and my kids about died, or so they thought, because I wouldn't let them eat them.

This was YUMMY jam! Most of my kids refused to even try it--why, I don't know. They love both peaches and raspberries, but that's fine. I'll eat all this jam myself. It'll be a sacrifice, but I think I can do it.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summers and go enjoy some homemade freezer jam--it is probably one of the easiest things you could "can" for yourself and your families.